Revamping, freshening up, or sprucing up the area. - Continuing investigation into Dresden climate-related incidents' aftermath
Due to excessive rainfall in certain regions of Saxony, streets were submerged, and numerous basements were flooded. Firefighters were still responding to emergencies the following day, as the volume of calls on Sunday exceeded their capacity. The Integrated Regional Control Center, responsible for Dresden and the districts of Saxon Switzerland-Osterzgebirge and Meißen, received approximately 2000 calls between 2pm and midnight, double the usual amount, they reported.
The German Weather Service reported 103 liters of rain per square meter in Dresden-Hosterwitz. Pillnitz Castle Park, located nearby, suffered significant damage due to the storm. Roads were wrecked, meadows were flooded, tree branches snapped, and potted plants were upended, according to Saxony's Castle Administration. The ground floor of the New Palace in Pillnitz was inundated as a result of persistent rain and overflowing locks, necessitating urgent drying out.
Pillnitz Castle Park was closed for business
"Cleanup efforts are ongoing," the administration stated. Due to the clean-up operations, Pillnitz Castle Park, museums, orangery, and palm house will be closed on Monday, with a partial reopening planned for Tuesday. The last time a local storm affected the 18th-century complex was in July 2023, causing damage to over 80 trees.
Dresden's Großer Garten faced similar issues, as the stream flowing through the park overflowed, flooding meadows and damaging walkways. Areas with unstable trees are now off-limits for both entry and presence. The park railway's trackbed was also affected by the flooding.
The Dresden Fire Department was continuously active with over 200 personnel, addressing 326 incidents. One person sustained minor injuries. The fire department anticipated reporting more incidents in the near future.
Dresden Town Hall was inundated with water
According to the fire department, water reached about 20 centimeters high in Dresden Town Hall, requiring emergency services for several hours. The situation improved around 1 am.
In Dresden's southeastern region, firefighters had to rescue 13 individuals from an S-Bahn station platform using a rescue boat. The underpass and an adjacent street were submerged by about 1.5 meters of water, preventing passengers from leaving the platform on their own.
Elsewhere in the state, storms caused damage and disruptions. In Zwickau, police were called out due to fallen trees and water-logged roads during the evening and night, a spokesperson confirmed.
Slippery roads also contributed to accidents. On Sunday evening, a car lost control on the A72 in Neuensalz (Vogtland district), and police suspected hydroplaning. Two additional cars attempted to avoid the accident but also lost control, resulting in minor injuries to four individuals.
The police in Görlitz reported numerous deployments due to rain and flooding. The A4 was closed for approximately 1.5 hours between Königshainer Berge and Kodersdorf (Görlitz district) due to water on the road.
"Flood events are becoming more frequent and severe in Saxony," Environment Minister Wolfram Günther (Greens) concluded. "Human-induced climate change is well underway. We need decisive climate protection and adaptation to the consequences of climate change. This means providing more space for rivers and streams in our cities and implementing sponge city concepts."
The severe weather conditions in Saxony resulted in a Hurricane-like situation in some areas, causing additional damage beyond the excessive rainfall. The storm also affected Pillnitz Castle Park, leading to its temporary closure for cleanup and repairs.
